Words: Staff Writers
Image: Paul Smith

The time for excuses is over with Round 11 of PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues action marking the half-way point of the season.

SWQ Thunder FC v FNQ FC Heat
Saturday, May 21 | 4:00PM
Clive Berghofer Stadium, Toowoomba

PS4 NPL Head to Head (all-time)				PS4 NPL Head to Head (at this venue)
Played	SWQ Wins	FNQ Wins	Draws	Played	SWQ Wins	FNQ Wins	Draws
4	0	4	0	2	0	2	0
PS4 NPL Last Meeting			FNQ won 5-1 at Clive Berghofer Stadium (June 20, 2015)

The league leading Heat are out to maintain their healthy four point buffer – and perhaps extend it further – when they take on an out-of-sorts Thunder atop the range.

The gloss has well and truly come off Thunder’s campaign over the past month with four straight defeats, including a last start 5-1 loss to Western Pride, seeing them drop to tenth in the standings.

They could find no tougher opponent than the in-form Heat who shut-out both Strikers and Jets in their past two league starts.

Heat are guaranteed to hold top spot at the round’s conclusion regardless of the result. A omen for the rest of the teams in the competition with the three previous league leaders at the season’s half-way point ultimately winning the Premiers trophy.

CLICK HERE for the official Match Centre

Match Officials – Ben Cook (referee), Ethan Quinlan (assistant), Kehan Ryley (assistant), Danielle Potticary (fourth)

Brisbane City FC v Brisbane Strikers FC
Saturday, May 21 | 6:30PM
Corporate Travel Management Stadium, Brisbane

PS4 NPL Head to Head (all-time)				PS4 NPL Head to Head (at this venue)
Played	CTY Wins	STR Wins	Draws	Played	CTY Wins	STR Wins	Draws
6	1	5	0	3	1	2	0
PS4 NPL Last Meeting			STR won 3-1 at Perry Park (June 13, 2015)

City are looking to claim their second top three scalp in a little over a week – and capital city bragging rights - when they host the high-flying Strikers.

The hosts will be eager to bounce back following their mid-week exit from the Westfield FFA Cup at the hands of a Redlands United side they upset in their last league start.

However, it will prove no easy task - Strikers not only having the wood on their near neighbours in the national second tier, but remaining one of the most consistent sides in the competition this year – boasting the best goal difference of any club.

A win for City will affirm their claims as September contenders, while for Strikers a win is crucial if they hope to keep apace with league-leaders Heat.

CLICK HERE for the official Match Centre

Match Officials - Alex King (referee), James Sherry (assistant), Trent Sleeman (assistant), Daniel Olson (fourth)

Northern Fury FC v Moreton Bay United FC
Saturday, May 21 | 7:00PM
Townsville Sports Reserve, Townsville

PS4 NPL Head to Head (all-time)				PS4 NPL Head to Head (at this venue)
Played	NFU Wins	MBU Wins	Draws	Played	NFU Wins	MBU Wins	Draws
6	0	5	1	3	0	1	1
PS4 NPL Last Meeting			MBU won 4-0 at Wolter Park (August 22, 2015)

Jets travel to Townsville with only one thing on their mind against the bottom-of-the-table Fury – get their season back on track.

With only two league wins in their past eight outings, Jets are seemingly in the throes of a crisis of confidence that was furthered by conceding two late goals to be eliminated from the Westfield FFA Cup mid-week by third-tier club Rochedale Rovers.

They will have no better opportunity to recapture their swagger than against a winless Fury side that has failed to score in their past three league matches.

However, Fury will be equally motivated as they seek to not only end their ten-match losing streak but also avoid another unwanted record, with defeat meaning they will become just the second Queensland club to conclude the first half of a PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues season without a competition point.

CLICK HERE for the official Match Centre

Match Officials - Matt Skinner (referee), Graham Buzzi (assistant), Liam O’Connor (assistant), Jack Nicolosi (fourth)

Gold Coast City FC v Sunshine Coast FC
Sunday, May 22 | 5:00PM
Duncan McKenna Field, Gold Coast

PS4 NPL Head to Head (all-time)				PS4 NPL Head to Head (at this venue)
Played	GCC wins	SUN Wins	Draws	Played	GCC Wins	SUN Wins	Draws
6	3	3	0	3	2	1	0
PS4 NPL Last Meeting			GCC (as Palm Beach SC) won 3-1 at Duncan McKenna Field (July 11, 2015)

One of the competition’s most consistent sides takes on one of the most enigmatic as City and Fire clash in the first coastal showdown of the season.

City are undefeated in their past nine league matches and know a win could well return them to the competition top four.

Meanwhile, Fire continue to stutter despite markedly improved performances over the past month - following up their win over a hard-fought win over Thunder with a disappointing last start defeat to the rebuilding Olympic.

Honours have been shared between the two sides over the past three years despite vastly contrasting form in that time – evidence of the every present rivalry between the two coasts.

CLICK HERE for the official Match Centre

Match Officials – Lara Smith (referee), Thomas Cullane (assistant), Justin Temple (assistant), Sam Osbourne (fourth)

Western Pride FC v Olympic FC
Sunday, May 22 | 7:00PM
Briggs Road Complex, Ipswich

PS4 NPL Head to Head (all-time)				PS4 NPL Head to Head (at this venue)
Played	WST Wins	OLY Wins	Draws	Played	WST Wins	OLY Wins	Draws
6	1	5	0	1	0	1	0
PS4 NPL Last Meeting			OLY won 3-2 at Goodwin Park (August 23, 2015)

Olympic are out to record back-to-back wins for the first time this season when they take on Pride in Ipswich to close out the round.

The capital city remain a work in progress but are slowly rebuilding their confidence following a disappointing start to the season – two wins in their past three outings seeing them touted as possible big movers in the second half of the campaign.

However, they will need to be on guard against a Pride side riding high after demolishing Thunder in their last league start and also being far from outclassed against New Zealand during a midweek friendly.

The fixture also offers Pride the chance to record their first ever win over Olympic in Ipswich – with the hosts defeated at three different home town venues over the competition’s history.

CLICK HERE for the official Match Centre

Match Officials - Rebecca Durcau (referee), Joey Lee (assistant), Isidro Terol Crespo (assistant) Kehan Ryley (fourth)